Boys Get Surprise At Southwest City Celebration

The annual Southwest City 3rd of July celebration is fun for everybody.

But no one could have enjoyed the 2014 edition more than Zachary and Landon Gardner. Zachary, 8, and Landon, 6, received a special treat during the event when their dad, Specialist James Gardner III, surprised them on stage after having served overseas in the U.S. Army since August 2013.

"I have been home for two days and it wasn't as hard on you as it was on me," Gardner told his sons about his surprise appearance. "They had me pretty much locked in the house so I couldn't come over and see the boys. It was really hard knowing they were less than 10 miles down the road from me and wanted to see them so bad. It was worth it though."

Gardner said he had expected to be home at the end of the month, but since he was early he decided to surprise his boys. He said he called Southwest City Mayor Joe Carpenter on Monday, June 30, and Carpenter did the rest.

"It's awesome to be home," Gardner said. "I have been looking forward to this ever since the day I got on the plane to leave. It's been a good homecoming. It's been exciting seeing each other the past three days. I think I have slept six hours in the last 48 to 72 hours to get everything planned and to see everybody."

Gardner served as a psychologist operations specialists in Djibouti, Africa, for the past nine months. This homecoming will be his last since Gardner has completed his military service.

Gardner is a graduate of Jay (Okla.) High School. He said he lived near Graves Arena just outside Southwest City and spent many days playing in Blankenship Park as a kid, the same park where he surprised his kids all these years later.

Zachary and Landon are typical boys who said they couldn't wait to go fishing with their dad.

Zachary said the first thing he wanted to tell his dad was that "I missed him and I love him."

Gardner's fianceé, Mercedes Cunningham, said the boys really missed their dad and couldn't hardly wait for him to get home.

"I had no words to describe it when I found he was home early," she said.

Gardner said he enjoyed his deployment in Djibouti, for the most part.

"It was a good place to be," Gardner said. "It was a good learning experience. I had a blast. Missing my family was the hardest part."